Sometimes I think people try to embrace everybody else's normal. They pursue it, they compare and they are disappointed. Hey, we are a unique family here. We're trying to serve God and raise four very unique little girls. Our normal isn't your normal and I'm cool with that. You should be too.
For instance, today, there is a toothbrush suctioned smack dab in the middle of the bathroom mirror. (I have no idea why.) Everybody was up by 6:15am (or earlier) because King Crow, our infamous award-winning rooster wasn't feeling well. So, he has been relocated to a pen in the basement. Every half hour or so, King belts out an announcement crow.
"Hey y'all, I'm still down here. Where are my hens? Bring me some apples, will ya?"
I drop my hand from the keyboard a second and Rory, our 9 week old Bernese Mountain Puppy promptly nuzzles me and gnaws on my hand. He also whines when everyone has congregated on Mommy's bed for devotions and he was not invited on to the bed. Yes and King announces (again) that he is STILL in the basement. Blossom4 pronounces, "ROOTER, ROOTER, ROOTER!!!!!!" and then flips out because she doesn't like the Bible story book that Blossom3 brought for her to browse while we read our Bibles.
Eventually, Blossom1 updates me on the status of all the healthy animals, as well as the recovering King. I try to call the Rugged Mountain Man to get his opinion on reintegrating King to coop life. Blossom3 and Blossom4 are galloping through the house, King crows again and I'm standing at the back door keeping an eye on Rory as he "parks." I hear distant strains of "ROOTER, ROOTER, ROOTER" and Blossom3's trademark giggles. Jake just watches this whole thing with his best "sage" and "noble" imitation... until I say the word "treat" and then he's all about some yummy homemade Jake's Cakes. Blossom2 sticks to her seat during the chaos, doing her schoolwork and tries to convince me to do a science experiment today, something about bouncing popcorn kernels. I FEEL like the bouncing popcorn kernels - kinda happy, kinda zany and all over the place.
When I'm confident Blossom1 and Blossom2 are well on their way with schoolwork, I try to make some Toffee Bark for a friend. The Blossoms keep sneaking in and eating all the chocolate chips, until I get out the mini Reese's Pieces and their are shouts of "M&Ms, MAMA!!!!!!!" to which I respond, "Hands off, there won't be enough!" (cock a doodle dooooooooooo)
Blossom3 decides that today is a terrific day to play with blue water in the kitchen sink. Blossom4 thinks that she isn't going to be included. Oh man, does she let me know about it. Thankfully, King is settling into his quiet time of day. As we round up plastic people and animals for blue water time, I think that at least we've accomplished a lot thus far today. Getting up early does that to you. I mean, school is well under way. There isn't TOO much blue water on the floor and now Rory and Jake are napping.
You see, God's grace is for the normal He orchestrates in THIS house, not what I find in your home. He graces you for that. I just try to trust and obey here in the Hollow. I'd say that King would crow to that!
